Page 3 of Devlin

His father’s men were gaining on them. Krista nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. For a moment, Devlin was nearly tempted to run off with her. So close and yet, he couldn’t just leave Galen and Carver behind. He knew they’d bear the brunt of his punishment. Who knew what their father would do in his absence?

She was already at the gate, working the bolt to unlock it. More of his father’s men burst into the garden. Devlin turned to face them, his fists clenched, ready to buy her some time. The grunts rushed him, and despite his desperate struggle, they overpowered him.

“Krista, go! Forget about me!” he shouted, but she looked back, tears streaming down her face.

“I won’t forget you, Devlin! I promise I’ll come back for you!” she yelled, disappearing into the street.

Devlin’s heart twisted with a mixture of despair and hope. As the grunts pinned him to the ground, Devlin watched the last sliver of light disappear with Krista’s retreating form. She was free.

This was so unlike him. Devlin prioritizing someone else apart from his brothers? It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling, a break from the fierce, singular focus that had driven him for so long.

His entire life had been dedicated to protecting his younger siblings, to shielding them from their father’s cruelty. Sacrificing his own chance at freedom for someone else was an act that defied everything he had ever known.

“Get him up!” one of his father’s men barked, yanking Devlin to his feet.

They dragged him back to the house, his mind racing. Although it felt useless, and there was only a slim chance of it happening, Devlin held onto the hope she’d keep her promise. He had to believe in her.

As they threw him back into the basement, Devlin stumbled and fell hard against the floor. He groaned, the pain in his body intensifying, but his mind was elsewhere.

As he pushed himself up, leaning against the wall, he couldn’t help but wonder how far Krista had gotten. Had she managed to evade the guards and find a way out? Or were they already hot on her trail?

The thought gnawed at him. Would they chase after her? Of course they would. His father’s men were relentless. Devlin’s mind raced with images of Krista running in front of him, her fiery hair streaming behind her. He imagined her slipping through the streets and outsmarting his father’s men at every turn.

Devlin shook his head, trying to push the doubt away. Krista was a smart girl. She had shown incredible courage and resourcefulness. She wouldn’t get caught … would she?

He bit his lip, his fists clenching in frustration. Even if she managed to escape the immediate danger, what if they captured her father? Would they use him to lure her back? The thought sent a chill down his spine.

The door opened, interrupting his train of thoughts. His father stood there, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

“You thought you could escape?” he sneered.“You’re even more foolish than I thought.”

Devlin glared at him, his resolve unbroken. “She will come back. And when she does, you’ll regret everything,” he said.

His father’s smile widened. “We’ll see about that. Until then, you’ll stay right here where you belong,” he said.

The door slammed shut and Devlin was left alone in the cold darkness once more. The cell was the same as it had always been—cold, damp, and suffocating. But something within Devlin had changed.

He clung to Krista’s promise, a small beacon of hope in the dark, but it was enough to keep him going. Devlin lay on the cold floor, his body aching. He thought about his brothers, about the promise he had made to himself to protect them and to one day take his father’s place as the family head. And now, intertwined with those thoughts, was the image of Krista, free and determined. The hope that she represented was something he could hold onto, something that made the unbearable just a little more bearable.

Devlin knew he had to stay strong. For his brothers. For Krista. As he closed his eyes, exhaustion finally overtaking him, he whispered into the darkness, “Don’t forget me, Krista. Please don’t forget.”

Too bad she never did come back for him.

Chapter Two

The Present

Krista made sure she parked her car a distance away from her real destination. It was a nondescript sedan, perfect for blending into the background. She watched as the last rays of daylight faded.

The other parts of the city might just be waking up, humming with the distant sounds of nightlife, but here, in this quiet, affluent neighborhood, it was eerily silent.

While waiting, she checked and rechecked the blueprints of the house and its security system. Krista traced the routes she had memorized, her eyes scanning the intricate details on her laptop. The Arrow Brothers’ estate had top-notch security.

No one wanted to take this job. Those who stole from the Arrow Brothers didn’t just end up dead—so did their friends and family. Good thing for Krista she didn’t need to worry on that front.

The guards were about to be switched out. She saw the subtle movements in the shadows, the change in patterns she had been waiting for. It was time.

Krista slipped out of her car. She wore black from head to toe, her hair tucked under a tight cap. Every inch of her screamed stealth and efficiency. She proceeded to the estate’s least guarded point of entry—the garden gate.

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